Nod and Smile: That's All He Did
by QianYun
Summary: [Slight SasuNaru] They never thought that this would happen once the Kyuubi was gone. They never expected to see the real truth. They couldn't believe that this had passed by them all. But it did and they paid for it.


Disclaimer: Naruto and its affiliated stuff do not belong to the writer of this story.

QY- Whoa... I had actually promised myself never to write these kinds of stories... but after reading a Kingdom Hearts' fic- **Lose Yourself** by D-chan and remembering the Naruto story by Ailetole named **Blood Red**... I couldn't help it. But despite one of the genres being horror, it's not really that bad. Unless you can't handle even a mention of blood and gore, you best not read this, but otherwise, it's nothing bad. Also, this is all narrative, so if you're looking for some dialogue, this isn't it.

The title was a play off of my motto in life and what inspired this to be written. The second to last sentence of chapter 7 in **Lose Yourself**, where Sora's trying to accept what's happening. My motto in life? "Sometimes, it's just better to nod and smile."

One last thing, there are pronouns in here that are bolded, italicized, and both. It's done for a reason, to differentiate who is who. There are also pronouns that **aren't** bolded or italicized and that's also done for a reason. I re-read this story over a few times to make sure it's all correct, so everything is done for a reason. Just keep that in mind. Make sure that when you're reading it, you don't put emphasis on the different pronouns, believe me, you'll start getting confused when you do it. Just read it normally and keep in mind that different types of pronouns are referring to different people.

Alright, that's it. Have fun.

* * *

**_Nod and Smile: That's All He Did_** --- QianYun

It had started out as something that was supposed to have been so very simple.

_He_ knew what _he_ had to do, felt it in _his_ heart what was necessary. So _he_ did exactly that. Did what everyone wanted _him_ to do, but what _he himself_ never thought was right. _He_ released him... _He_ didn't expect it to turn out the way it did. _He_ never anticipated it, _he_ never saw it coming.

No one saw it coming.

No one could've expected it to happen. It was supposed to be routine, though it was never done before. It was something new and unknown, but so confident in their abilities, they ignored the signs and did things they shouldn't have done. Should have known not to do.

It was an impossible thought, one that defied all previous established preconceptions. They thought that since it was _him_ there was no possibility that it would happen

For _he_ was _him_ and never had anyone expected that it would be _him_.

They didn't understand, would never understand what it was that went wrong. They were so sure, so absolutely unmovable in their belief that there was no way that _he_ would change that they didn't take precautions. If it was **him** they would have done all that they could have to make sure that everything went the way it did. They expected it from **him**, but not _him_.

Weird how things turned out...

_He _was supposed to be different, _he_ wasn't supposed to turn. But _he _was also pushed over the edge. The edge that was so near, yet so far. But bit by bit, _he _was moved closer and closer. Those few years when _he _was pulled back seemed as if it had never existed.

No... it existed.

It was what pushed _him _even more.

For if that time did not exist, if it all remained the same, would _he _have taken that path? The path that _his _other **half** took?

Because **he** was _his _other **half**, wasn't **he**?

**_Two sides _**of the same coin, different in every way except for the aspect that mattered most. Perhaps it was because the image that they saw the faces **_they_** wore that made**_ them _**seem so different.

But in the end, **_they_** were exactly the same, were **_they_** not? They brushed by the surfaces, quickly changed their opinions on who was good and who was bad when certain events took place. Although even when their opinions changed, they could not change their ways. They refused to change their ways. Twelve years of hate and scorn would not disappear because the **one** they thought was good, whole, and pure turned to be the very antilogy of their perceived images. They vehemently denied the signs that **he** changed, even during those few, scant years. They made the same mistake with _him._

So it happened, it happened in the most gruesome way and at the end of it, _he_ wasn't sure what it was _he_ did.

_He_ stared down upon _his_ hands, grimaced at the vermilion tinge it carried. But then _he _looked back, _he_ looked down and felt calm. The torment that tore through _him_, the unexpected sorrow that washed through _him _subsided. The spilled ruby red glinted at _him_, pale skin and pale hair surrounded the area he stood in. Ripped clothes, torn limbs, gushing liquid was all _he_ saw.

_He _became distracted, and looked around _him_ in wonder. _He _had done all this. With _his_ own two hands. No.. with the power _he _held when he left- ripped unwillingly from _him_. This was never supposed to be _his_, it was supposed to be dormant within _him_, along with the pain that came with it. That was why he existed within _him_, not to protect the village from him. No, he was sealed into _him_ to protect the town from _him_. Not him, never him, an illusion brought upon the town changed what they saw. It was not him that ruined the town seventeen years ago, it was _him_. At such a small age, the power _he _wielded wreaked destruction and terror upon a town with such strong shinobi. A tiny _boy_ just barely born...

**_This_** was the reason for the seal. They were right to fear _him_. Having never expected that the seal would have a chance to break, their oh-so-precious leader neglected to tell anybody the truth. Not wanting anyone to shun the _boy_, he struck a deal with a creature that possessed its own magnificent power. Asked him to be hated by the world, hated by the town. Intrigued to be wrapped into such a _strong power_, he agreed, knowing that there would come a time - no matter what anybody said - that the _boy_ would call upon him. And so _he _did. A connection was forged and it was he who calmed the _boy _down when rage took over, he controlled the _power_ that wanted to break out and instead, he himself came out. His power reached out and gave _him _strength, replacing what _he_ was not allowed to have. A balance was created. A careful balance that took all that he had to keep.

That balance was ripped apart the day the seal was broken. Nothing kept him in the _boy_ now, he was pushed out, what he tried to take control of before, took control of him. And now he was lost forever, floating upon the winds of souls without a body, without any way to warn anybody of the disaster that was surely to come. Because he saw **him** at that moment and knew what would happen. Felt it deep within his soul. And for a moment, for a short moment, he wanted to warn the people. But then he thought and thought. Was it not better to let them have what they deserved? The pain that he felt from the _boy_ assaulted him daily; for every day of the seventeen years he resided within _him_, the only time he felt peace was when _he _was with **him**. _He _deserved that peace **_They_** both deserved the peace. With that thought in mind, he did not try to come back. He did not try to warn those that he had technically lived with for seventeen years what laid in their path.

A path that was to be painfully short.

Without him, _he_ was stronger than before, and uncontrollable. That was the first time.

This was the second. And this time was worse. As _he_ stood before **her** body, a fascination approached _his _eyes. The power _he_ felt was almost overwhelming and _he_ reveled in the warm rush that ran through _him_ even as _he_ stood silently. A glee came to _him_. _He_ was free now. So very free. So free... that _he _felt lost. What was _he _to do now?

But then **he** came back and spoke to _him_. **He** came back and reassured _him_. **He** came back and showed _him_ the way. The way that was always there before **_them_**, the path that **_they_** were - no matter what anybody said - destined to take.

Because despite their words, despite the smiles, despite the warmth they had shown to the two of **_them_**, they were scared. They had always been scared by the strength **_they_** possessed. They didn't understand it, and they didn't want to. Scared beyond words, that's what they were, scared beyond the simple fear that rested in them when they saw any other of **_their_** kind...

Fear of the utmost disastrous type, for **_they_** were not supposed to be that way.

It had started out slowly, although in **_them_** the change was quick, for them, it was slow. At a snail's pace that no one even noticed, that no one bothered to examine.

The **_two_** changed and yet **_they_** did not.

Because one cannot change what was already there. And it was there, it had been there for oh-so-long. It was simply waiting for the opportunity. The opportunity of a lifetime that perhaps came too quick, too swiftly.

A few more years and perhaps this wouldn't have been so extreme, a few more months and perhaps **_they_** could've been stopped. But it came too soon, and perhaps, just perhaps, even if it didn't come so soon, no one could've changed **_their _**path

Because **_they_** were the one caused it.

The **_two boys_** were driven deeper and deeper into what they had never anticipated.

Deeper...

**_They_** could've stopped it through sheer willpower, the **_two of them_** together, separately - there was always the chance.

But **_they_** never tried, it fascinated **_them_**, drew questions that wanted to be answered.

And that day, that day, **_their _**questions were finally answered. **_They _**basked in the glow of satisfaction, **_they _**reveled in what had happened. Staring at each other over the dead body of the one who was supposed to lead them, lead **_them _**onto a path which could've healed most of the pains of the past, **_they_** grinned at each other. **_Their _**questions were answered, finally, after so long. And **_they_** knew what to do now.

The very next day, panic screamed through the town. **He** had left for the night, but _he_ had stayed to watch. _He_ had to be there anyway, they would've expected it.

When the body was revealed, the news spread, everyone looked to_ him_, to see _his_ reaction.

It was at that moment that they first started truly thinking. The changes that had come to pass, suddenly came rushing back. It was not possible, it shouldn't have been possible. Yet, the questions plagued those of the town.

They looked and they saw, or rather, they didn't see. There was no sadness, no pain, no indignant anger.

There was a simple acceptance and it seemed that _he_ had encountered an epiphany.

They feared and they left _him_ alone.

For a moment, only a moment more they saw. Only for a moment they let themselves see the truth. But then they made a terrible mistake when **he** came back.

Confusion was still there, fascination was running through _his_ veins and when they acted, when they did what they shouldn't have, when they lashed out at the one that mattered the most to _him_, _he_ flipped and the two sides became one. With a deranged grin and an absolute fury that stretched to all corners, it started.

The power that had been growing within _him_ since the day _he_ graduated burst out, an unimaginable strength that escaped with little care.

And the smile grew.

There was a darkness that no one expected, an insanity that no one saw.

Masks and mirrors.

Illusions and glass.

They covered what was supposed to be easy to see with only a slight effort, they covered what should not have escaped. But that very day, that very year, that very moment, it broke out and horror was within the grasp of every man, woman and child.

Unlike the past, it happened in a slow pace. Monotonous in a way, fear took its time to hold. Disbelief ripped through their thoughts. Then the pace sped up, seeped through the pores of the people.

Pain ruled it all.

The darkness descended even while the sun rose. The animals and nature itself carried on as it had always done. Little reaction came from the world around them

The only change they saw were the change in **_them_**.

But up until this moment, nothing was important.

Insignificant details that told of **_their_** falling.. but perhaps **_they_** did not fall? No... **_they _**didn't fall, **_they _**merely... showed what already was.

Masks and illusions were torn away, wrenching away the faces they believed were true. Faces they believed that would never turn away for **_their_** simple stupidity, anger, rage, confusion, and lack of knowledge.

They were ripped off to reveal faces that they thought they had hidden away with little effort. **_They _**weren't supposed to escape.

They foolishly thought that the lives **_they_** led, despite all the pain that had occurred would result to **_their _**complacence.

But it was quite obvious that when the **first one** left, when the **first one** turned...

They had clung to the hope that it would not happen a second time. They clutched to that hope, yet anticipated it in the same time, pushing the _boy_ even father away, causing _his_ descent to come that much quicker.

They were sorry, they regretted it all. But they never realized it. Never realized it until that time when they saw **_them_** together.

Realized what?

They never realized the insanity that laid dormant with the **_two boys_**.

**_Boys_** whom were once innocent, torn away to be thrust into a world of pain caused only by those around **_them_**, nurtured only by **_themselves_** and **_each other_**.

That world of mental pain spilled out and colored the streets red. The copper that disgusted**_ them _**in a time not long ago drew **_their_** attention; the obsession hidden beneath layers and layers of loose and hurriedly placed bandages breached the cage and leaked out.

The horror had come upon them. It reached into every nook and cranny of the town, the only moment of calm in the middle of the village where their once proud tower had stood.

There stood **_two boys_** that grew into **_men_** by the worst means possible. There on top of the tower which _he_ had wished to work in - there, _Uzumaki Naruto_ only smiled and nodded.

Nodded to the **man** who stood by _his_ side, the man that was **him**. Nodded to the scene in front, behind and beside them. The terror-stricken people of the town barely paused in their rush to leave, leave, **_leave_**. But they were unable to, could not leave the grasp of the two **_men_** they had once shunned at some point or another. _Him-_they shunned for the first thirteen years of his life, **he-** they shunned for the last five years. After so long...

**Uchiha Sasuke** had returned to get what had always been **his**.

The insanity, the pain, the rage that laid within _Naruto_.

All wrought from the actions of the villagers and their so called friends

Friends who abandoned _him_ in _his_ time of need only to return when _he_ recovered. Barely recovered, but it seemed enough to continue fooling those around _him._ Or rather, it was a thin covering that allowed them enough excuse to not look beyond.

They said they had too. They said that the events around them distracted them too much. There was nothing they could do, it was an order passed down from **her**.

But _he_ would not listen. _He_ **_could_** not listen. The screams, the pain of _his _heart drowned out all else.

And _he _lashed out.

Physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

It had all fell down to that one moment. The moment where everything was balanced on one action, one thought, one reassurance from anybody.

But the only one who was there at that time was the** one **who had abandoned them all in the search for power. The only one by _his_ side encouraged the very thoughts that led **_them_** down this path.

**Uchiha Sasuke** stood by _him_ and watched as blood poured through the forests in the night, the trickling crimson liquid staining anything and everything.

**He** only watched as little by little, a feral rage overcame _him_.

And because **he** watched, because **he **was there, because **he** did nothing, **he** did everything that **he** needed to.

The downward descent that had started at that moment with the loss of the Kyuubi, the moment where _his_ mind became unbalanced and lost to what it was to do.

The moment when Yin and Yang fought to control the mind of a most _powerful boy_.

The moment where _he_ was left alone because "_he_ had to be"

The moment when **Sasuke**, the one most precious to _him_ because **he** was _his_ friend told _him_ to let go.

And _he_ did.

With the most extreme reactions, the forest broke.

The animals mourned and rejoiced at the same time. That one spot in their nature, in their home was gone forever, but in the place of the lost land, the fox had returned. The Kyuubi in his full glory was forever lost, but the essence of his rage, power and true spirit lived on in a _boy_ abandoned by all but the only **one** that was able lead _him_ down this path.

Because **_they_** were two sides of a coin made into a whole. Whereas in the past **_they_** were never able to see **_each other _**face to face, now **_they_** saw **_each other _**with a clear vision that reached down into **_their_** souls.

The pain, the happiness, the twisted needs. Laid out on the table like a prize to be revered, **_their_** darkness intertwined.

**Uchiha** wrapped _Uzumaki_ into **his** embrace, never to be let go. A new life was to be created, one based off of a love that should have grown in circumstances of a more peaceful nature. A love that may not have even began if the town had not done what they did.

**Sasuke** embraced _Naruto_ and everything was right with the**_ two of them_**. Safely in the embrace of the **_other_**, living off of only the happiness the **_other_** had. That was all **_they_** needed, all **_they_** wanted. As long as the **_other_** was happy, the **_pair_** was happy. And for **_them_** to be happy... **_they_** were willing to go to any lengths.

That day **Tsunade** was killed, **Sasuke** was there. **He** stood by as **he** did that first time many months ago.

**He** stood by silently, without a protest because in between those times, there was a period of salvation.

If a hand had reached out, if a person had known enough to see, cared enough to act, the tragedy of Konohagakure would've never had the chance to act out.

And so the blood ran.

Severed limbs and broken bodies were all that existed.

Yes, the Kyuubi was finally gone.

Yes, the chakra of the Kyuubi was gone from _Naruto_.

Yes, _he_ lost the strength that the Kyuubi had given _him_.

But with that loss, came an even greater gain for _him_.

For the town, it was an even greater loss.

A power seen only hundreds of years ago broke out through the storm.

The town was demolished with minutes.

Immediately, a peace came and settled.

In the beginning, there was only confusion.

In the beginning, there was ignorance

In the end, there was only satisfaction.

In the end, there was acceptance and a perverted joy.

Running through the veins of **_two boys_** who were weak on **_their _**own and immortal side by side, a scream of glee.

A dollop of insanity, a touch of pain, a fountain of rage with no where to go.

And the blood continued to run.

Owari

* * *

QY- Yeah, this is my version of what might have happened and what could happen. In case someone doesn't understand, since I know my stories are a bit confusing, basically, someone found a way to break the seal and release the Kyuubi in a good way. So like, he sort of loses his power? Anyway, what I played off here was that the Kyuubi was not sealed into Naruto to protect the village from him, but to protect the village from Naruto. Because when he was born, the disaster that struck Konoha was created by Naruto, and not the Kyuubi. When Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi into Naruto, he also placed an illusion on the people that it was the Kyuubi who did it, not Naruto. Because apparently, everyone knowing it was Naruto would make him shunned. He still was.. but eh.

No one knew that the Kyuubi was sealed to control the power in Naruto. So when they found a way to "destroy" the Kyuubi, the took the chance, not knowing that it would cause Naruto to become unbalanced. Going in chronological order, Naruto basically went insane and killed/destroyed the few people who were with him and the forest area. Sasuke was there, and only watched Naruto. What I didn't talk about was Orochimaru, since technically, by this time (since I'm taking in the current chapters into play) Orochimaru would've already taken over his body. But you can fill in that plot hole however you want to. I was thinking that Sasuke kind of overcame Oro, but I don't know...

Anyway, a few months after the Kyuubi was released, Naruto killed Tsunade. Why? Because his sanity disappeared and the pain took over. Since Tsuande was the one who ordered the Kyuubi to be "destroyed", he sees her as the one responsible for what's happening to him. The reason why no one saw it coming, besides their natural reaction to ignore it, was that the war was still going on. Even after five years, although it's more like two, since for three years, nothing was supposed to have happened, the war is still going strong and the village is basically busy with that. Sasuke was there when Naruto killed Tsunade as well (yeah.. they got like radars for each other or something...) and kind of... led him down the "dark path". Sasuke leaves for the night while Naruto stays. The village looks for his reaction the next day when they find Tsunade's body, there is none, they see him and get frightened because Naruto's not a person to have no reaction. Sasuke returns, they attack him, Naruto's sanity is right now, non-existent. And the town is destroyed. That's it basically.

It's a little extreme, but after reading **Lose Yourself** and **Blood Red**, the truth is that this is quite possible, not the Kyuubi part necessarily, but the part of where Naruto and Sasuke turn dark. As much as I try to ignore it and as much Naruto is so bright in the manga, placing them in a real-life perspective, it is not hard to imagine the two of them turning out this way. But it's just my way of thinking.

Whew, long notes, I always end up doing this. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it, and even if you didn't make sure to tell me in a review. This is the first I've done of this genre, so I'm a bit anxious. And if there's any questions you want answered, you can always e-mail me at quietfate116 at yahoo. Or talk to me on AIM at Raksha116. And it seems weird saying this after the above... Have a Happy Holiday wherever you are and whatever you celebrate!

Written in half an hour. Revised for three hours. (12/18/04 11:44 p.m.)


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